Thursday, February 16, 2017

Thursday Movie Picks - Shakespeare Adaptations

Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. If these posts seem like fun to you, play along! All you have to do is pick three movies that fit the week's theme, and tell us a bit about them. Couldn't be simpler!
Oh, Wanderer.

You have no idea what you've wrought this week.

You see, I'm a bit obsessed with the adaptation of stage plays to film. And I'm more than a little obsessed with the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare. Ever since I read a VERY abridged version of Romeo & Juliet when I was in fourth grade, I've loved him. I took several courses on him in college, and worked for an Off-Broadway theater company focused on Shakespeare and classic drama for five years. Shakespeare adaptations are kind of my thing. So I'm going to go a little bit crazy this week. Please, bear with me. There's LOTS to talk about.

THE CLASSICS

These didn't update the language, or the settings, or the costumes, proving that when done right, Shakespeare's plays are truly evergreen.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle, 1935) It doesn't get MORE Classic Hollywood than this. If you're allergic to Mickey Rooney, stay away, but otherwise this is a triumph of the Dream Machine creating pure fantasy on the most fantastical of Shakespeare's plays.

Hamlet (Laurence Olivier, 1948) Only one of the world's greatest actors taking on one of the greatest leading parts in one of the greatest plays ever written. And he proves just as stylish a director as he is an actor, taking full advantage of the cinematic medium to illuminate the Danish Prince's inner psyche in ways you simply cannot on stage. There's a reason this is iconic - it's indelible perfection.

Romeo and Juliet (Franco Zeffirelli, 1968) This tragic romance has probably been filmed more times than any other play ever written, but this version is the most lushly romantic. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting somehow manage to not inspire my usual hoots and hollers when watching actors that appear the actual ages of the star-crossed lovers (if you've ever had the misfortune of seeing a stage version with teenagers, you know what I'm talking about - you just end up yelling at them "IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD! GOD! STOP BEING SO STUPID!" - but not here), instead making every stupid decision fully believable and understandable. And the adult cast that surrounds them is just pitch perfect.

THE KUROSAWA

Akira Kurosawa didn't just adapt Shakespeare's plays to Japan, he made them Japanese, inside and out.

Throne of Blood (1957) One of the creepiest tellings of Macbeth to ever be committed to film, using the conventions of traditional Japanese Noh theatre to create something Shakespeare never could have imagined, but would surely have approved of. Toshiro Mifune is great as always in the lead, but it's Isuzu Yamada's chilling take on Lady Macbeth that will really stay with you.

The Bad Sleep Well (1960) This one also fits into two later categories, as it modernizes Hamlet and is essentially an adaptation in all but name. This critique of the corporate world of Japan has its roots in the world's most famous play, but goes to some very different places.

Ran (1985) One of the most stunning color films ever made, Kurosawa's masterful take on King Lear is stunning from start to finish. Enough words of praise cannot be written. Just see it.

THE STILES

In one of the more curious turns of events in recent memory, actress Julia Stiles found herself in quite the niche: Starring in updated Shakespeare adaptations. She was in three of them in three years. The first is the best, but all of them are worth a look.

10 Things I Hate About You (Gil Junger, 1999) Seriously, though, if you've never read The Taming of the Shrew, read it RIGHT NOW and marvel at how flawlessly and entertainingly this flawlessly cast movie adapts it to turn-of-the-millennium American high school.

Hamlet (Michael Almereyda, 2000) I'm a little bit obsessed with this film, which does the "updating everything but Shakespeare's language" thing even better than Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. And frankly, without Luhrmann's wild stylization, it's an even bigger risk. Ethan Hawke makes for a perfect Gen-X Hamlet, and the production and costume design is just out of this world. People don't talk about this one much anymore, but it's totally worth seeking out.

O (Tim Blake Nelson, 2001) The last film of the "Julia Stiles in Shakespeare Adaptations" trilogy, and the one that makes the most sense for the teen film treatment. The melodramatic plot of Othello is a perfect fit for the dog-eat-dog, soap opera world of high school, and you couldn't come up with a more compelling trio of leads than Stiles, Josh Hartnett, and Mekhi Phifer. An underrated, underseen gem.

THE STEALTH ADAPTATIONS

Unless you knew it going in, you'd probably never guess these movies had their roots in plays a few hundred years old. But these movies graft Shakespeare's oft-told tales onto modern settings and narratives so well that they prove Shakespeare's strength as a storyteller, not just a writer.

West Side Story (Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, 1961) By now, I think you all know that this is a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, but it's so flawlessly done that it completely stands apart, a truly rare feat of adaptation. Rita Moreno is possibly the greatest Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner of all time.

My Own Private Idaho (Gus Van Sant, 1991) Show of hands: Who knew this was a Shakespeare adaptation? OH, BUT IT IS! Yes indeed, Van Sant's idiosyncratic road movie takes the characters of Prince Hal and Falstaff from the history plays Henry IV and Henry V and puts them into the bodies of Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix respectively. Don't believe me? Read the plays. You'll be shocked.

She's The Man (Andy Fickman, 2006) This Amanda Bynes vehicle is a shockingly amazing adaptation of Twelfth Night, one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Unlike 10 Things... and O, the more conventional teen movie aspects fail it, but seriously. Read Twelfth Night, watch this, and marvel at how they manage to stuff so many of the play's million subplots into one little movie. And go ahead, watch it a second time since we all know you were just ogling young Channing Tatum the first time.

I love how you went with this week's theme! I currently have the 1968 Romeo and Juliet on my immediate watch list, hopefully I get to finish it this week. 10 Things I Hate About You is one of my fave teen movies, and She's The Man was pretty enjoyable.

Kurosawa's adaptations are really special because he truly adapted them to Japanese culture. Proof that Shakespeare's stories transcend language and culture barriers, especially in the hands of a gifted director.

Nice to see somebody else pick the 1935 Midsummer Night's Dream. Sure Mickey Rooney can be annoying, but I think it fits the Puck character.

Warner Bros. used almost everybody on the lot, it seems. But they had the genius to put people like Frank McHugh and Joe E. Brown in Bottom's acting troupe where they not only can't do much harm, but where their non-Shakespearean acting helps. Contrast this with the MGM version of Romeo and Juliet a few years later, which opens with dialog between Edna May Oliver and Andy Devine(!)

I have yet to see A Midsummer's Night's Dream and I bet it is waaaaaay better than what I saw when I was in Vienna. I am glad you chose Olivier's Hamlet because he was the king of Shakespeare and still is in many respects. This film is one of the best Hamlets. I also love this rendition of Romeo and Juliet. I have not seen any Akira Kurasawa's films here but have been meaning to see Ram forever. I like 10 Things and love West Wide Story which seems to be popular today. She's All That actually looks good.

Since you went all in this week I think I’m going to have to split my comment in half to fit.

Midsummer is a lovely gossamer thing with that beautiful Old Hollywood sheen. Rooney is Rooney which is not something I’m fond of but there is so much to counterbalance his unctuousness he can be pretty much ignored. Cagney is marvelous, Olivia adorably young and fresh plus there are so many character actor/actresses that I like, Verree Teasdale, Grant Mitchell, Frank McHugh, Anita Louise and on and on. While there are other versions of Hamlet I like more (I chose my favorite as one of my three this week) Olivier’s is a mighty effort with a lovely Jean Simmons and Eileen Herlie a fine Gertrude, it always takes me a minute or two to adjust to her in the role since before seeing this she was only known to me as Myrtle Fargate which she played for decades on All My Children. When I saw Midsummer as your first pick under the classics I feared you might have included the 30’s version of Romeo & Juliet with the decades too old Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard in the leads, SO glad you didn’t because that one is a howler!! Speaking of bad renderings of the Bard’s work have you ever seen the Mary Pickford/Douglas Fairbanks Taming of the Shrew? Egad it’s agony!! I would think as you do that R&J is the record holder for filmed versions taking into account all the redos and rethinks. The Zeffirelli take does stand out for having leads of appropriate age (fortunately with talent), a lovely production and supporting cast.

Now for my shameful confession…I’ve seen none of the Kurosawa films. I know I know I should hang my head but Japanese cinema is my biggest blind spot. I really must get to it but I’ve been so busy working on my actress filmography project I just haven’t had time.

One of the ways to drive me from a film is to mention that the cast contains one of several performers, Amy Adams, Juliette Lewis, Zooey Deschanel, Ethan Hawke….and Julia Stiles. I find her completely charisma and for the most part talent free however I was able to endure her in 10 Things I Hate About You because of all the other goodness on hand. A fun sweet film and super adaptation. The thought of watching this particular version of Hamlet with two of the five I mentioned gives me the heebie jeebies and she made me skip O though the concept sounded interesting.

LOVE West Side Story! A brilliant reworking of the text while remaining a clear translation. So much to admire and discuss except Richard Beymer! Why?!? Incredibly handsome to be sure but hopelessly unfit for the requirements of the role. But then the others considered, Warren Beatty, Bobby Darin, Troy Donahue, Richard Chamberlain, don’t seem much more suitable. Natalie Wood brings her fragility to the role which is perfect so her not singing can be excused but this movie BELONGS to Rita Moreno. I don’t know if she’s the absolute best winner in supporting actress ever but she’s in the top 5. Didn’t care much for My Own Private Idaho, I admired what Van Sant set out to do but I had a hard time getting into the film. She’s the Man is a cute little film and nice in that it takes on one of Will’s less adapted works.

Now for my picks. In a roundabout way we match on all three since I chose different versions of some of your choices, and funnily enough a musical take on another one of Shakespeare's work. Now I wonder how many have been musicalized successfully?

Hamlet (1996)-Kenneth Branagh adapted, directed and stars as the tortured Dane supported by a cast that is drawn from the cream of the British acting world with a few choice American stars pulled in for good measure. What makes this version stand out from the myriad others is Branagh’s decision to pull the play out of the dingy and poorly lit 14th century to the lush baroque 19th, resulting in deserved nominations for Art & Costume design, making it a far more vivid experience. That’s a great help since he has also chosen to present the entirety of the play’s nearly four hour run time. In a cast that includes Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Robin Williams, Gerard Depardieu and Judi Dench among so many others it’s difficult to choose any MVP’s aside from Branagh but Kate Winslet as Ophelia and Rufus Sewell as Fortinbras, the crown prince of Norway are memorable. It’s a challenging view but worthwhile.

Joe MacBeth (1955)-Updating the Scottish play to the criminal underworld of 1930’s America this violent take on the tale (it begins with the title character blowing away a crime boss then going directly to his own wedding) is an inventive twist on the material. Excellent work by Paul Douglas and Ruth Roman as the murderous mobster and his rapacious Lady M hold you rapt as the homicidal pair climb the ladder of success over an ever increasing pile of bodies.

Kiss Me Kate (1953)-The Taming of the Shrew moved into the world of the modern theatre and musicalized by Cole Porter. Famous stage star Fred Graham (Howard Keel) tries to dissuade his equally famous ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (Kathryn Grayson) to postpone her upcoming marriage so she can co-star with him in a musical updating of The Taming of the Shrew. She agrees reluctantly since their relationship post-divorce is as combative as their married life so it’s not smooth going. Add in several flies in the ointment including second lead Lois Lane(!) (Ann Miller) and some mobsters who are mistakenly putting the squeeze on Frank for a debt Lois’s boyfriend owes and it’s a wacky time backstage. Onstage though there are some amazing dance numbers performed by four of the best dancers of the 50’s (Miller, Carol Haney, Bob Fosse and Bobby Van) and great music sung by all including “It’s Too Darn Hot!” and “From This Moment On”. One of the great musicals, originally shown in 3-D.

Wow! You just went bananas! Love that you got all into this category. Great stuff.

Of these, I've seen the '68 version of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, O, and She's the Man. I liked them all except She's the Man, which I didn't particularly care for. It felt like an inferior version of another adaptation of the same play, 1985's Just One of the Guys. I need to see Throne of Blood and Ran, badly.

This is amazing!! I love that Julia Stiles gets her own catagory. Shamefully I haven't seen the classics or Akira Kurosawa's. But I hovered over a fancy looking copy of Ran so I think I need to go back and pick that up. I don't know King Lear that well which is why I want to see it. I didn't like Othello or Hamlet so.... I'm steering clear of that. West Side Story is beyond brilliant, keep forgetting how good it is. But I have to disagree about She's the Man. Yes they for things in but ultimately its terrible. Bynes is terrible. Her calling was as Penny in Hairspray. But I do love Twelfth Night - I prefered the Trevor Nunn version.

About Me

Performer since birth, tap dancer since the age of 10. Life-long book-lover. Film obsessive. Frustrated artist since college graduation. Non-profit database specialist by day, tap teacher by night, Netflix binge-watcher by weekend.